Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Cairngorms National Park and Monadhliath. Also includes the Ben Alder area hills between Loch Ericht and Loch Laggan.
Friday's Forecast
Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Snow and hail showers
Periods of bright or sunny conditions mixed with showers or flurries of snow and hail. Visibility may change rapidly from excellent to very poor.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
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Windy, walking impeded
Blustery conditions enough to give buffeting on higher terrain or affect balance on exposed ridges. 25 to 40mph.
Snow and hail showers
Periods of bright or sunny conditions mixed with showers or flurries of snow and hail. Visibility may change rapidly from excellent to very poor.
Cold
Air temperature below 0C all day on higher mountains. Significant chill factor if exposed to strong winds. Suitable protective clothing required.
Winter kit required on higher terrain
Snow cover over higher mountains. Safe progress over some terrain will require suitable footwear - possibly crampons and ice-axe where necessary.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Friday 3rd April 2026
Last updated
Thu 2nd Apr 26 at
3:45PM
Summary for all mountain areas
Cold with showery snow in the Highlands, also hail in north. Varied winds, blustery in northern Scotland, moderating for a time central Highlands. In England & Wales, a swathe of gales likely affects the mountains, but still some uncertainty about the northward extent; rain and drizzle, plus low cloud covering many hills.
Headline for Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Chilly, varied wind. Scattered snow showers.
How windy? (On the Munros)
West-southwesterly, overnight gales ease by dawn, then typically in range 25 to 35mph during day, gusty around precipitation. Possible a lull below 20mph for a few hours in middle of day.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery with considerable wind chill, some buffeting gusts, making walking uncomfortable in exposure over higher terrain. May be smaller effects for a time.
How Wet?
Snow showers, most widely afternoon
Areas of showery snow, occasional hail, most common western areas in the morning, whilst north and east drier for a few hours. Possibility of more frequent to persistent snow developing, turning to rain up to 600-700m south.
Cloud on the hills?
Varied over tops, best breaks north/east
Patchy cloud banks mostly above 900-1000m, lifting to higher tops or above, breaks best toward north and east. Cloud varying around showers, some patches to 700-800m. Chance of filling in over tops if snow is frequent.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
50%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Occasional sun, best north and east of Cairngorms in the morning. Visibility very good where dry, but at least briefly very poor in snow and cloud, possible local temporary whiteout.
How Cold? (at 900m)
0 or -1C most of the day, though starting near +2C toward east. Feeling like -10 to -13C in direct wind.
Freezing Level
1000-1200m from overnight into dawn, lowering from west by morning to 800-900m, though rising slightly higher in east in the afternoon.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Saturday 4th April 2026
Last updated
Thu 2nd Apr 26 at
3:45PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Westerly 25-35mph at first, easing S-SE'ly up to noon, then rapid increase afternoon to 50mph, by evening 60-80mph+.
Effect of the wind on you?
Blustery start, lessening for a time, but then deteriorating, later any mobility increasingly difficult, soonest in south.
How Wet?
Snow and rain developing, setting in
Largely dry likely all morning, perhaps an odd snow flurry. During afternoon, hill snow developing from south, becoming persistent - for a time later rain up to tops, then abruptly snow level dropping again late in day or after dark.
Cloud on the hills?
Little for many hours
Patchy cloud around some slopes, but the mountains remain substantially clear onward into afternoon. Later as precipitation develops, cloud lowering over the hills, soonest in south.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
80%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Weak sun through high cloud giving way to more overcast skies into afternoon. Visibility very good, then reducing, to be later very poor, or appalling in snow.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-3C, rising later to +1C or briefly higher, then dropping again into night. Feeling like -15C in early wind, then even colder later.
Freezing Level
Frost in many glens from dawn, 600m mid-morning, rising afternoon, later briefly toward high tops, then 600m into night.
Viewing Forecast For
Cairngorms NP and Monadhliath
Sunday 5th April 2026
Last updated
Thu 2nd Apr 26 at
3:45PM
How windy? (On the Munros)
Stormy conditions overnight lessen toward dawn, but still near 70mph at first, then westerly 40 to 55mph, squally gusts.
Effect of the wind on you?
Frequent buffeting, walking challenging on higher exposed terrain. Possibly still severe at first. Severe wind chill.
How Wet?
Snow then showery hail
Risk of constant snow to lower elevations from dawn into early morning. Becoming showery, clusters of heavy bursts with hail and snow, later rain below 500m. Risk isolated thunder & lightning.
Cloud on the hills?
Varying on high tops
Cloud banks frequently moving across upper slopes, mostly above 900-1000m, briefly lower in precipitation. At times clearing higher up, most often in east.
Chance of cloud free Munros?
40%
Sunshine and air clarity?
Bursts of bright sunshine and very good visibility, but briefly suddenly appalling in cloud and snow or hail.
How Cold? (at 900m)
-4C rising toward 0C afternoon. Feeling like -15 to -18C in the wind.
Freezing Level
400-500m from dawn, rising to 800-900m afternoon.
Planning Outlook
A storm system moves across Britain over the Easter weekend, bringing severe conditions increasingly widely - severe gales over the mountains advancing northwards into Scotland by later Saturday daytime. Rain and hill snow also sweeps northward - a substantial snowfall develops particularly in northern Scotland later Saturday. Colder for all by Sunday with all mountains sub-zero, above 600-700m in Scotland, 800m in England and Wales - hail and snow showers with gales bringing severe chill factor. Milder southerlies develop for Monday, dry for most, but risk of gales especially in the west. A changeable weather regime is expected to continue next week, possibly turning chillier again later in the week.